Solderless connector



Jane 3%, 19511 R. H. KINGDON 2539 628 SOLDERLESS CONNECTOR Filed Feb. 8,1947 INVENTOIL Roi ,4 lzz'rr Joiz.

Patented Jan. 30, 1951 SOLDERLESS CONNECTOR Ralph H. Kingdon, Detroit,Mich" assignor to Square D Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation ofMichigan Application February 8, 1947, Serial No. 727,356

7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a solderless connector for electric conductorsin which electric cables are mechanically clamped in electricallyconducting relation as distinguished from attachment by means of asolder lug.

An object of the invention is to provide a solderless connector whichshall efiectively, mechanically and electrically connect an electriccable to a conducting part with the connector receiving the cable endfrom the top of the connector rather than through an end opening.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a solderlessconnector in which a cable end may be inserted from the top in which thetop or cover of the connector is hingedly mounted on the body portionthereof so as to pivot into a non-interfering position.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a solderlessconnector in accordance with the preceding object in which the swingingtop or cover has means interlocking with the body portion of theconnector to normally retain the cover in place.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a solderlessconnector in accordance with the two immediately preceding objects inwhich the cover and opposite sides of the connector are threaded toreceive a clamping screw adapted to clamp the electrical conductorsagainst the bottom of the connector.

Other objects and features of the invention will be readily apparent tothose skilled in the art from the specification and appended drawingillustrating certain preferred embodiments in which:

Figure l is a top plan view showing a solderless connector according tothe present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the connector.

Figure 3 is transverse sectional view on the line III-III of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line IV-IV of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an elevational view of the connector with the top coverswung into cable inserting position.

Figure 6 is a perspective view 01' one form of conducting strap withwhich the solderless connector may be associated.

The solderless connector, as shown in the drawings,.is mounted upon aninsulating base I and connects an electric circuit cable 2 to aconducting strap 3 which, as specifically shown, forms a terminal of acircuit interrupter and carries a contact 4 adjacent its inner end upona pressed out portion thereof. The connector comprises a main bodyportion 5, U-shaped in cross section as shown in Figure 3, within whichthe strap 3 is disposed. The body portion 5 is mounted on the base I bymeans of a stud 6 passing through a metallic insert 1 and an opening inthe bight of the U-shaped body portion and threaded into the strap 3 asshown in Figures 3 and 4.

A separate top wall 8 for the connector has depending side wall portions9 and I l embracing the side walls of the main body portion 5. At theback end of the connector, the depending wall portions 8 areindividually hinged at l2 to the opposite side walls of the main bodyportion 5 so as to be swingably mounted. thereon. Adjacent the frontend, the depending side walls 9 and H are provided with inwardlyextending projections l3 adapted to be received in openings ordepressions It in the opposite side walls of the main body portion 5 tonormally hold the top 8 in assembled relation.

The opposite interior wall surfaces of the main body portion 5 arethreaded at I5 and thetop 8 has a central opening similarly threaded toreceive a clamping screw l6 which is thus threadedly engaged with boththe side walls of the body portion 5 and the opening in the top 8. Theconducting strap 3 has its upper surface within the connector providedwith a plurality of upwardly extending projections I'l against which thestrands of the cable 2 are pressed to prevent their withdrawal from theconnector.

While the connector may be formed of any desired materials, it ispreferred to form the main body portion 5 and the clamping screw iii ofa metal of relatively high conductivity since these parts serve to carryat least a portion of the current between the cable 2 to the conductingstrap 3. While copper is acceptable for th s purpose, in order toincrease the strength of the connector, it has been found more desirableto form these parts of bronze or brass.

The top is a non-current carrying part and as it serves structurally toprevent spreading apart of the side walls of the main body portion 5 aswell as receiving the screw l6, it is preferably formed of steel orsimilar material of high strength.

As shown in Figures 1 through 4, the end or the cable 2 is clampedbetween the screw l6 and strap 3 to mechanically and electrically mountit in the connector. The screw it exerts its mechanical pressure notonly through its engagement with the threads [5 is. the opposite sidewalls of the main body portion 5 of the connector,

but also through its threaded engagement in the steel top 8, with thetop maintained on the main body portion of the connector by the hingesl2 and the interengaged projections and recesses 13 and M. In mountingthe cable 2 within the connector and particularly in the case of heavycables which are relatively stiif and resist easy bending and formingoperations, the screw [6 is either removed, or withdrawn until itengages only the threads in the top 8, whereupon the top is rotated orswung into the position of Figure to uncover the connector. In thisoperation the projections l3 are disengaged from the openings orrecesses l4 by the natural resiliency of the side walls of the top 8and/or the side walls of the body portion 5. With the top 8 in theposition of Figure 5, the cable end may be laid directly into theconnector from the top in the position in which it is to be clamped.Thereafter, the top 8 is returned to its normal position paralleled tothe bottom wall of the connector and the screw I6 is advanced inwardlyinto clamping relation with the cable end.

In the operative position of the screw I6 in which it is in threadedengagement not only with the top 8 but also with the side walls of themain body portion 5, the top is maintained in enclosed position not onlyby the interengagement of the projections and recesses l3 and H but alsothrough the interconnection of the threaded portions of the top and mainbody portion by the screw itself.

While the connector has been illustrated with the strap 3 within itswalls and serving to mount it in place, it is obvious that the connectormay be mounted above the strap by the simple reversal of the positionsof the end of the strap 3 and the bottom wall of the connector and,while certain preferred embodiments of the application have beenspecifically disclosed, it is understood that the invention is notlimited thereto, as many variations will be readily apparent to thoseskilled in the art and the invention is to be given its broadestpossible interpretation within the terms of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a solderless connector for electrically connecting an electriccable, a main body portion of substantially U-shape, a cap portionhaving depending side walls embracing the side walls of the bodyportion, means connecting the side walls of said body and cap portionsto permit movement of the cap portion to uncover the connector from thetop, an opening in said cap portion, and a clamping screw threaded insaid opening and in the opposite side walls of the body portion andserving to clamp the end of an electric cable within the connector, saidscrew connecting the threads in said opening and those in the oppositeside walls of the body portion so as to maintain the cap portion inclamping position on the body portion against the clamping force.

2. In a solderless connector for electrically connecting an electriccable, a main body portion of substantially U-shape formed of materialof relatively high electrical conductivity, a cap portion formed of amaterial of relatively high mechanical strength and having dependingside walls embracing the side walls of the body portion, meansconnecting the side walls of said body and cap portions to permitmovement of the cap portion to uncover the connector from clamping screwthreaded in said opening and in the opposite side walls of the bodyportion and serving to clamp the end of an electric cable within theconnector, said screw connecting the threads in said opening and thosein the opposite side walls of the body portion so as to maintain the capportion in clamping position on the body portion against the clampingforce.

3. In a solderless connector for electrically connecting an electriccable, a main body portion of substantially U-shape, a cap portionhingedly mounted on said body portion for swing-- ing movement touncover the connector from the top, interengaging means at said cap andbody portion for normally maintaining the cap in its operative positionconnecting the opposite side walls of the body portion to preventspreading thereof, an opening through said cap portion, and a clampingscrew threaded in said opening and in the opposite side walls of saidbody portion for clamping the end of an electric cable within theconnector, said screw connecting the threads in said opening and thosein the opposite side walls of the body portion so as to maintain the capportion in clamping position on the body portion against the clampingforce.

4. In a solderless connector for electrically connecting an electriccable, a main body portion of substantially U-shape, a cap portionhingedly mounted on said main body portion for swinging movement touncover the connector from the top, said cap portion having meansengaging the opposite side walls ofsaid body portion to preventspreading thereof when the cap portion is in closed position, an openingthrough said cap portion, and a clamping screw threaded in said openingand in the opposite side walls of said body portion for clamping the endof an electric cable within the connector.

5. In a solderless connector for electrically connecting an electriccable, a main body portion of substantially U-shape, a cap portionhaving depending side walls embracing the side walls of the bodyportion, means hingedly connecting the side walls of the cap and bodyportions adjacent one end of the. connector to permit swinging of thecap portion to uncover the connector from the top, interengaging meanson the side walls of said cap and body portions adjacent the oppositeend of the connector to normally maintain the cap portion in itsoperative position, an opening through said cap portion, and a clampingscrew threaded in said opening and in the opposite side walls of saidbody portion for clamping the end of an electric cable within theconnector.

6. In a solderless connector for electrically connecting an electriccable, a main body portion of substantially U-shape formed of a materialhaving relatively high electric conductivity, a cap portion formed of amaterial having relatively high mechanical strength and having dependingside walls embracing the side walls of the body portion, means hingedlyconnecting the side walls of the cap and body portions adjacent one endof the connector to permit swinging of the cap portion to uncover theconnector from the top, an opening through said cap portion, and aclamping screw threaded in said opening and in the opposite side wallsof said body portion for clamping the end of an electric cable withinthe connector.

7. In a solderless connector for electrically connecting an electriccable, a main body portion of substantially U-shape formed of materialof 5 good electrical conductivity, a steel cap portion having dependingside walls embracing the side walls of the body portion, means hingedlyconnecting the side walls of the cap and body portions adjacent one endof the connector to permit swinging of the cap portion to uncover theconnector from the top, interengaging means on the side walls of saidcap and body portions adjacent the end of the connector to normallymaintain the cap portion in its operative position, an opening throughsaid cap portion, and a clamping screw of good electrical conductivitythreaded in said opening and in the opposite side walls of said bodyportion for clamping the end of an electric cable within the connector.

RALPH H. KINGDON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Jensen Mar. 13, 1945

